there are mapsdown in the subwaythere are mapsif you can read themyou'll get where you are goingof course, even if you can't read themyou'll get where you are goinganyway -- that's just how it goesI've been studying this phenomenonfor some time nowit's profound, yet simple:you always get where you are goingto put it in other terms,as Darwin once said:'everything is the way it isbecause it got that way'--Ross Bender

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

strange women approach mestrange women approach me on the buswanting to know my businessthey're subtleasking for directionsasking for a cigarettedon't they know you can't smoke on the bus?might be social workersmight be ladies of the nightmight all be a honey trapyou never knowwhen you're riding on the busthat's why I just say nokeep staring ahead into the distancewatching the streets go byand the people dancingmurals, coffee shops, hair-braiding salonsand days go byyou see women on the bus you think you recognizeyou might want to talk toor exotic women in rain ponchosdisplaying Chinese character for "the way"(in Japanese 'michi')when you get a bit closeryou see it's just some football logeyou feel foolish for having asked"why are you wearing 'michi' on your poncho?"these women must all think you're nutsthat's why I just say no to myselfwhen I get the impulseto talk to strangerskeep staring ahead in the distancewatching the streets go by--Ross Bender

Friday, December 16, 2016

beatniksthe beatniks are back in townyou read the message in their eyesold souls, and wisesorrowful, deep soulful eyesdon't look like beatniks thoughmore like the angelsor Daoist immortals, baldingskinny, with grey straggly beardsdon't wear those berets anymorenor dress all in blackthese ain't young hipstersno, they the ancient survivorsbeatniks gentle, been through the wars,flips, epiphanies, and highsnow they downdown to the groundbut they swingoh yeah, they swinglike the stoned old crowson the wing--Ross Bender